Name three of the stages in the system life cycle
– fact finding
– feasibility study
– analysis
– design
– testing
– documentation
– implementation/changeover/installation
– evaluation
– maintenance
Describe the problem recognition and definition stage of system development
There are four change-over methods used in the implementation stage of the system development life cycle (SDLC): direct change-over, phased, parallel and pilot.
Direct Change-Over
Phased
The introduction of a new system involves evaluation and maintenance once the system is
implemented.
Describe the evaluation and maintenance stage of the systems development life cycle (SDLC)
and provide one example of an activity undertaken in this stage.
A company has decided to deliver its products online to international customers. It has employed you as a project manager to determine whether this is a viable business decision. You choose to conduct a feasibility study. Outline the purpose of a feasibility study using two components associated with this process.
Describe one task that is commonly undertaken during the first phase of system development life cycle
Outline one advantage and one disadvantage of interviews and questionnaires as data gathering techniques.
Interviews
Advantages
Disadvantages
Questionnaire
Advantages
Disadvantages
Describe the purpose of a data dictionary, using an address book database as an example.
Give two characteristics of each of the system development methodologies listed below.
(a) Linear/Cascade/Waterfall
(b) Iterative Methodology
(a) Linear/Cascade/Waterfall
(b) Iterative Methodology
At which stage of the system development life cycle does the changeover to a new system take place?
What characterises a phased implementation approach?
Give one reason why a phased implementation would be the best approach to follow in this case.
Explain the differences between parallel running and direct changeover as ways of implementing the new system.
Direct changeover – new system replaces existing system immediately/overnight
Parallel running – new system runs alongside/together with existing system
Parallel running – there is always the old system to fall back on in the event of the new system failing/information is not lost/always a second copy
Direct changeover – if things go wrong lose all data/old system is not available
Direct changeover – training is more difficult to organise
Parallel running – training can be gradual Parallel running is more expensive to implement than direct changeover....
Direct changeover is a quicker method of implementation than parallel running
Direct Changeover: The old system is stopped completely, and the new system is started. All of the data that used to be input into the old system, now goes into the new one.
Parallel Running: The new system is started, but the old system is kept running in parallel (side-by-side) for a while. All of the data that is input into the old system, is also input into the new one. Eventually, the old system will be stopped, but only when the new system has been proven to work.
Complete the data dictionary below for the Student entity.
State four tasks performed at the analysis stage in systems analysis.
State advantages and disadvantages of the following system implementation strategies
Phased:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Pilot:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Direct:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Parallel:
Advantages:
State the contents of a feasibility study report
With the aid of an example, explain the term multilevel list as used in word processing
1. Chapter 1
1.1. Introduction
1.1.1.Definition of terms
State the functions of the following features in word processors
Defining blocking of text as used in word processing